C.   Program Description/Objective: Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) treatment of soils promises to ensure water security by improving the resilience of earth embankment dams and levees through their stabilization, thus reducing logistical burdens and carbon emissions. Our team demonstrated that MICP treatment of soils is a cost-efficient and non-resource-intensive solution for contact erosion, a common geotechnical problem occurring on older water retaining structures such as earth embankment dams and levees. We are currently looking for experts on water erosion measurement for the erosion resistant MICP-treated soils collected from Army-oversighted Dams and Levees. The anticipated expertise we are looking is the capability to evaluate the analyze data on soil erosion of the MICP-treated soil samples and suggest and advise our team with the state-of-art knowledge on biocementation for publication. Potentially, we are looking for collaborators who can contribute technical experts through leveraging this program for demonstration and validation in the future.

D.   Public Benefit: In this program, we are investigating the soil samples collected from Army-managing sites so that we can test the potential application of bio-cemented soils for mitigation of erosion on the earthen embankments, such as dams and levees, which is the public benefit. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) established the Dam Safety Program to operate and maintain approximately 740 dams and associated structures nationwide, including many earthen embankment dams, and the U.S. Army Installation Management Command-Army Dams and Transportation Infrastructure Program (IMCOM-ADTIP) oversees about 250 dams on military installations.